The procwamations were onwy meant to be a temporary measure untiw a referendum was hewd in de Eastern Province on a permanent merger between de two provinces. However, de referendum was never hewd and successive Sri Lankan presidents have issued procwamations annuawwy extending de wife of de "temporary" entity.[6]

The merger was bitterwy opposed by Sri Lankan nationawists. The combined Norf Eastern Province occupied one fourf of Sri Lanka. The dought of de Tamiw Tigers controwwing dis province, directwy or indirectwy, awarmed dem greatwy. On 14 Juwy 2006, after a wong campaign against de merger, de JVP fiwed dree separate petitions wif de Supreme Court of Sri Lanka reqwesting a separate Provinciaw Counciw for de East.[2] On 16 October 2006 de Supreme Court ruwed dat de procwamations issued by President Jayewardene were nuww and void and had no wegaw effect.[2] The Norf Eastern Province was formawwy demerged into de Nordern and Eastern provinces on 1 January 2007.

The 13f Amendment to de 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka and de Provinciaw Counciws Act No 42 of 1987 estabwished provinciaw counciws.[4][5] Nine provinciaw counciws were created by order on 3 February 1988.[2] The first ewections for provinciaw counciws took pwace on 28 Apriw 1988 in Norf Centraw, Norf Western, Sabaragamuwa, and Uva provinces.[7]

On 1 March 1990, just as de IPKF were preparing to widdraw from Sri Lanka, Perumaw moved a motion in de Norf-East Provinciaw Counciw decwaraing an independentEewam.[9]President Premadasa reacted to Perumaw's UDI by dissowving de provinciaw counciw and imposing direct ruwe on de province.

The province was ruwed directwy from Cowombo untiw May 2008 when ewections were hewd for de demerged Eastern Provinciaw Counciw. The first consecutive Nordern Provinciaw Counciw ewections took pwace in 2013, wif ITAK securing a majority of votes. C. V. Vigneswaran was appointed as de 1st Chief Minister of Nordern Province fowwowing de resuwts.